A UK passport warning has been issued to one million Brits who face missing their summer holidays due to processing delays.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper issued the warning as airports across the UK see long delays as holidaymakers prepare to travel abroad.
She said people "fear their honeymoon may now be wrecked because their passports haven't arrived, even though they applied in plenty of time".
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She continued: "We've had cases of people cancelling jobs, parents trying to get holiday for a sick child waiting since January, huge long delays by the Passport Office and by the contractor TNT."
This is what happens if you miss your flight due to airport delays
UK passport delays could cost £1.1 billion in cancelled holidays
The warning comes as new research suggested delays in passport processing could cost £1.1 billion in cancelled trips this summer.
The Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) said it estimated a 50% probability of a “successful and timely” passport renewal process for travellers based on current reports.
“Data from the VisitBritain Covid-19 Consumer Sentiment Tracker shows that more than two in five are planning an overseas trip in the coming 12 months,” it said.
“Assuming that passport holders are somewhat more likely to have travel plans than the population as a whole and that a quarter of those will have made a booking leaves just under one million holiday makers at risk due to the delays.”
There have been warnings of cancelled holidays due to delays in processing applications as demand recovered from the pandemic, with the passport office advising travellers to apply 10 weeks in advance.
Last week, a senior Government source said Prime Minister Boris Johnson was ready to “privatise the arse” out of the passport office.
Home Office minister Kevin Foster said anyone heading overseas this summer should submit passport applications as soon as possible.
He added the Government is “confident” it will not need to extend the 10-week target for processing requests.
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